London’s Best New Restaurants & Bars: November 2018

London’s best new restaurants and bar openings in November 2018, from SUSHISAMBA Covent Garden to a new floating restaurant on the Thames and Market Halls Victoria

Lead image: SUSHISAMBA Covent Garden

1SUSHISAMBA Covent GardenFollowing the success of SUSHISAMBA Liverpool Street, which opened in 2012, the internationally acclaimed restaurant launches a second London location in Covent Garden. Located at the famed Opera Terrace atop Grade II listed Market Building, the venue will offer striking rooftop views across the Covent Garden Piazza. Known for its unique blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian culture and cuisine, the new location will serve dishes such as Brazilian Churrasco Rio Grande of ribeye, chorizo and aged picanha, Peruvian-inspired Kanpachi Tiradito with yuzu, sea salt, black truffle oil, plus Japanese sushi, sashimi and a new Kobe Bun. The interior, also influenced by the spirit of Japan, Brazil and Peru, is crowned by an Eric Parry-designed glass roof, and will house a lounge and bar featuring Covent Garden’s first ‘live ceiling’ installation, as well as a high-energy sushi bar with bespoke lighting installation and a theater-style open kitchen and robata grill in the dining room. During the warmer months, the open-air terrace will undoubtedly be the place to be seen.35 The Market, Covent Garden WC2E 8RF; sushisamba.com

2Glass Room, Bateaux London
Glass Room, a new dining experience on the water, is to set sale daily from the end of November. Launched by dining on-the-water specialists Bateaux London, the Glass Room will offer modern British food, fine wines and, courtesy of its all-glass structure, uninterrupted views of some of London’s most iconic landmarks. The menus champion seasonality with dishes such as Severn and Wye smoked salmon and celeriac remoulade; slow-cooked rump of lamb with shepherd’s pie confit and garden pea purée; and pistachio and apricot torte. You can also enjoy afternoon tea complete with a pianist, or spend Sunday on the water with a classic roast and live jazz. The luxurious interiors by Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio take on a contemporary nautical theme with a colour palette of red, blue and white set against luxe finishes, clean crisp lines and bespoke oak cladding. Soft launch offer: 50% off from 22 November-9 December (to book email reservations@bateauxlondon.com using promo code GR18).Embankment Pier, Victoria Embankment WC2N 6NU; bateauxlondon.com

3Market Hall Victoria
This autumn, Market Halls will be transforming the abandoned arcaded bays of Victoria’s Terminus Place into a sustainable new destination for local residents, workers, commuters and visitors. Market Halls, which launched its first food hall in Fulham earlier this year, with another due to follow in the West End in spring 2019, is turning unloved public spaces with particular architectural or historical interest into buzzing new hangouts. Market Halls Victoria will have seating for 400 people over three floors, with a roof terrace due to open in spring 2019. There’ll be 11 kitchens serving diners from breakfast through to lunch, dinner and late night snacks, with three bars championing independent British-made beers, spirits and soft drinks, and a coffee shop, too. Since 1909, the space in Victoria has housed an Edwardian shopping arcade, a restaurant, and more recently the super-club, Pacha. The doors are due to open in early November.191 Victoria Street SW1E 5NE; markethalls.co.uk

4ICHIBAR, Soho
ICHIBUNS marks its first anniversary with the launch of ICHIBAR on 7 November. The late-night drinking and dining destination in the basement of the Chinatown restaurant will be open until 2am, serving up an extensive list of Japanese whisky, gin, craft ale, sake and more, alongside an innovative new cocktail menu. To celebrate the launch, occasion, 10% of all drink sales will be donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital for the first week. The menu will feature a selection of signature Kampai cocktails, nine original drinks inspired by ICHIBUNS’ unique blend of Japanese subculture and classic Americana. Azabu’s Sgroppino, named for Tokyo’s most expensive residential district, combines vodka, lemon sherbet, passionfruit, lychee and raspberry, while Hadouken is a punchy mix of Tequila, watermelon, falernum, lime and sake worthy of its Street Fighter namesake. Every weekend, there will be DJs playing music late into the night. The interiors have been designed by Noriyoshi Muramatsu of Tokyo’s famed Studio Glitt, and bring the Shōwa-era themes of ICHIBUNS late into the evening.22 Wardour Street, Soho W1D 6QH; ichibuns.co.uk

5The White Haus, FarringdonThe White Haus, opening its doors on Farringdon Street on 9 November, brings après ski to London with three floors of rustic décor, cosy corners, cuckoo clocks and vintage cable cars. The all-day menu from Executive Chef Jamie Polito and Head Chef Dan Davies is all about comfort dishes, from breakfast and brunch (with pastries, fresh smoothies and a croque madame or monsieur), through to lunch and dinner with schnitzels and sauerkraut, Swiss beer-battered fish and chips and sharing boards of Baked Mont d’Or, pickles and potatoes. The pub will transport you to the mountains with timber chalet-style décor, a roaring fireplace, sheepskin throws, ‘snowflake’ chandeliers and a bookable cable car for six. Old skis, mittens, photography and quirky memorabilia comes courtesy of the Ski Club of Great Britain, while a full-size TV will screen old ski movies and winter sporting events. There’s also 1936 Biere – a Swiss lager brewed at the foot of The Alps – on tap, as well as a curated wine list and signature cocktails including a Salted Caramel Old Fashioned.17 Farringdon Street, Farringdon EC4A 4AB; thewhitehaus.co.uk

SUSHISAMBA in Covent Garden has a fabulous living ceiling

ICHIBAR launches in the space below ICHIBUNS in Soho

How Market Halls Victoria will look

The White Haus will bring the joie de vivre of ski season to London with schnitzels and sheepskin throws

The Glass Room is soon to launch on board Bateaux London

6 Brasserie of Light, Marylebone
Brasserie of Light, the ambitious new Art Deco-style brasserie and bar from Caprice Holdings, will open its doors on 22 November. The opening marks the completion of the final chapter of Selfridges’ £300 million investment in its London store. The kitchen is led by talented Portuguese chef Emanuel Machado, whose eclectic menus offer a mix of classic British and internationally-inspired dishes throughout the day and evening. The bar will serve signature cocktails inspired by the legacy of Selfridges. With design consulted on by Martin Brudnizki, Brasserie of Light will feature bold, colourful and light filled interiors, with an impressive central bar and private dining room, as well as London’s largest scale artwork by Damien Hirst – a 24ft crystal-encrusted suspended statue of Pegasus.Duke Street, Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street W1A 1AB; brasserie-of-light.co.uk

7 No 17 Dickens Yard, Ealing
No 17 Dickens Yard is opening in Ealing on 10 November. The seventh neighbourhood bar by Darwin & Wallace, the venue takes inspiration from urban European loft apartments, with two bars, generous lounge sofas, large oak sharing tables and moody dark palettes contrasting blush and emerald tones in the furnishings. There will also be a foliage-filled outdoor courtyard to the front and wrap-around terrace on the first floor overlooking the newly landscaped approach to the wider Dickens Yard development, which comprises 700 new homes and public spaces. The seasonal menu will focus on sustainability, featuring responsibly sourced fish and ‘wonky’ veg, as well as virtuous and indulgent offerings from breakfast through to dinner. Drinks run from morning to cocktails like Plum Collins, Honey Martini and Twisted Old Fashioned, as well as a selection of cask and bottled craft beers and more than 30 red, white and rose wines.Unit 17, Dickens Yard, Longfield Avenue, Ealing W5 2TD; No17DickensYard.co.uk

9 LINO, the City
LINO, a new bar and all-day restaurant in a former linoleum and carpet warehouse in the Square Mile, opens its doors on 22 November. The Wright & Bell team have created a space with a shared emphasis on innovative drinks and dishes, with Richard Falk, formerly head chef at Clapham’s much-loved The Dairy, heading up the kitchen and taking an in-house approach to everything from cocktails to charcuterie. Housed in a former linoleum and carpet warehouse, clad in original glazed tiles, LINO has grand, 12-foot high double doors that lead to a clover-shaped, waxed tulipwood bar that forms the centerpiece of the room. The kitchen, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, will use low-waste ingredients across the all-day menu, with dishes including Sauerkraut and Montgomery cheddar croquettes and Belted Galloway wing rib of beef with oxtail and potato tart. Cocktails will include witty takes on kitsch favorites like the Snowball.90 Bartholomew Close, the City EC1A 7EB; linolondon.co.uk

10 Greyhound Café, Fitzrovia
Greyhound Cafe, the first London outpost of the cult Thai restaurant, opens Bangkok Underground – a new subterranean bar and dining space at its Fitzrovia home – on 6 November. Bangkok Underground draws on the neon-lit buzz of the many drinking spots lining the back streets of Thailand’s capital city, criss-crossed with strings of glowing halogen bulbs and decorated with garlands of orange marigold flowers to bring good fortune. Take your pick from Greyhound Cafe’s hotpot feasts, designed for groups of six to 24. The feast kicks off with a Chang Beer Tower for the table – a 2ft high, DIY beer tap filled with bottles Chang. Dishes including Complicated Noodles, Salmon in Hot Pursuit and a steaming Mor Fai (a Thai favourite of tom yum soup with prawn ravioli and river prawns) to share. Other larger dishes include turmeric-rubbed Esarn Chicken, Hot Oil Pork Knuckle and chilli-spiked Mushroom Waterfall. The bar serves drinks based on Greyhound Café’s signature spirit, Mekhong, alongside small plates. The Mor Fai menu begins at £35pp.37 Berners Street, Fitzrovia W1T 3LZ ; greyhoundcafe.uk

Damien Hirst’s Pegasus installation at Brasserie of Light

LINO opens in the City

No 17 Dickens Yard opens in Ealing

The Gate opens at Harbour Hotel on Richmond Hill

11 Le Petit Citron, Hammersmith
On 9 November, husband and wife restaurateurs Lawrence and Emily Hartley will open Le Petit Citron in Brook Green, Hammersmith. The classical French bistro, inspired by their love of Provençal cooking, will serve much-loved dishes from the region. Evenings will start with aperitifs of Lillet martinis, cassis and lavender gin and tonics and Kir Framboise. Entrées include petit farci of pork, coquilles Saint-Jacques, and rustic Mediterranean fish soup with gruyère and rouille. Principaux dishes include onglet steak frites, lemon and garlic poussin, and wild honey and mint marinated lamb. The new neighbourhood restaurant, lit with soft pendant lighting and flanked by original French posters atop pale green walls and exposed, original tiles, will serve everything from quick midweek lunches to relaxed dinners and leisurely weekend brunch.98-100 Shepherds Bush Road, Brook Green W6 7PD; lepetitcitron.co.uk

12 Garden Room, Charing Cross Road
Garden Room, located on the top floor of Assembly Hotel near Trafalgar Square, is the latest offering from the Bourne & Hollingsworth Group. Opening on 23 November, the Garden Room will mix stunning interiors, seasonal dishes and the brand’s signature cocktails with 180-degree views of London. Serving lunch and dinner, the brasserie-style menu caters for everything from small sharing plates served at counter-top tables to decadent three-course feasts. Dishes include burrata with beetroot, candied lemon, watercress and Marcona almonds; grilled prawn and chestnut mushroom skewers; pulled jackfruit chilli with avocado relish; and slow-cooked spiced lamb with prunes, chilli and coriander, sweet potato mash. Cocktails will incorporate the same fresh herbs and spices used in the food. Pared back, classic interiors will be juxtaposed with playful Aztec-style tapestries and a plethora of greenery including fully grown trees.10th Floor, Assembly Hotel, 27-31 Charing Cross Road WC2H 0LS; bandhgardenroom.com

13 Fare Bar + Canteen, Old Street
Award-winning duo Michael Sager and Marcis Dzelzainis of Sager + Wilde will launch Fare Bar + Canteen on Old Street on 12 November. Located in the historic Morelands building on Old Street, the all-day-dining bar and canteen will be split across two floors, offering a grab-and-go coffee area, intimate cocktail and wine bar, and a restaurant. Head Chef Thomas Raymond, previously at Ellory, will lead the kitchen, creating a menu focused around the robata grill, showcasing vegetable-based small plates alongside grilled skewers and larger sharing dishes. Look out for the likes of Cylindra Beetroot (roasted in embers, grapefruit reduction and Devon Blue), Fried Globe Artichoke, Fare’s Wet Burger with sweet paprika and sour cucumber, and a slow roasted Suffolk lamb shoulder with black cumin, aubergine and pickled garlic to share. The bar menu includes an extensive 250-strong wine list, sourced directly from boutique winemakers, and a ground-breaking approach to the cocktail list.11 Old Street EC1V 9HL; farebarandcanteen.com

14 Goose Island Shoreditch Brewpub
Goose Island Beer Company will open its first ever European Brewpub in Shoreditch on 21 November, offering a triple-threat of great food, live music and craft beer. Inspired by its Brewpub in Chicago, the Shoreditch Brewpub will offer Goose Island brews previously unavailable in the UK, like Old Man Grumpy (5.8% ABV), Fog Bowl (7.2%) and Next Coast (7.2% ABV), alongside its highly sought after Bourbon County Stout (14.1% ABV), award-winning range and local collaboration beers. There will also be a Chicago-inspired menu featuring a unique pizza selection, subs, wings and pretzel bites with beer cheese sauce. Events at the Brewpub will include live acoustic and DJ acts, one-off microbrews, tap takeovers, and brewery tours. Goose Island will also mark the Shoreditch Brewpub’s grand opening with live music and free pizzas throughout the night on 21 November.222 Shoreditch High Street E1 6PJ; gooseisland.com

15 Tamashii, Kings Cross
Tamashii, meaning soul in Japanese, will pop-up in King’ Cross from 9 November. Chef Wei, who has built up over 35 years of experience working in top restaurants including Hakkasan and The Colony Club in Mayfair, has created a menu of traditional Japanese dishes like ramen, teppanyaki and robata, as well as East Asian favourites such as Thai green curry and crispy aromatic duck. The restaurant is complemented by Juku bar, which will have its own designated space in the restaurant serving exquisite cocktails, Japanese whiskies, sake, lagers, wines and oriental teas. Both the bar and the restaurant will be open throughout the day. The pop up will help to refine the recipes and the concept, which, if successful, will see Tamashii open indefinitely.8 Caledonia Street, Kings Cross N1 9DZ; tamashiilondon.co.uk

Garden Room near Leicester Square will offer panoramic views over London

Shoreditch Brewpub will be Goose Island’s first European brewpub

Tamashii will open in King’s Cross as a pop-up, and if it works, it’ll stay permanently

Fare Bar + Canteen opens on Old Street this month

16 The Parrot at The Waldorf Hilton
The Parrot, a new cocktail bar and live music venue created in collaboration with Idris Elba and brothers Lee and Nicky Caulfield, opens on Friday 9 November. Set within the Waldorf Hilton, the bar will be full of A-List surprises, from unannounced secret shows to a chauffeur-driven Aston Martin. Built in 1908, The Waldorf has been at the heart of London’s bustling Theatreland for over a century, and the Yamaha London Stage will host the professional house band, talent from theatreland and regular DJ sets from Idris himself. The cocktail menu, created by Head Bartender Daniele Panzanaro, is inspired by members of the parrot family, such as the Parakeet, made with Maker’s Mark bourbon, Wray & Nephew rum, banana essence and white Peruvian pepper. Executive Chef Karl Richardson has also created a concise menu of small plates, such as Wagyu beef with pickled enoki and poached lobster.The Waldorf Hilton, Aldwych WC2B 4DD;theparrotldn.co.uk

17 The Oystermen Seafood Bar & Kitchen, Covent Garden
The Oystermen Seafood Bar & Kitchen in Covent Garden has reopened following works to join together both 31 and 32 Henrietta Street, doubling the size of the original venue. Head Chef Alex Povall and his team prepare fresh fish, seafood and oysters for lunch and dinner, with hearty new starters such as Portland crab Thermidor and Dorset squid, n’duja and zhoug broth, alongside the team’s infamous hot buffalo oysters. The brand new raw and oyster bar takes pride of place in the renovated adjoining space at 31 Henrietta Street, with a striking boat hull exterior constructed by master shipwright Giles Thaxton. Reserved for walk-in guests, the raw bar serves up an impressive selection of the best freshly-shucked rock and native oysters sourced from UK coastlines, plus whole undressed Dorset brown crab in an array of sizes. There’s also an extensive wine list, small-grower sparkling wines, a flight of saké and Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters.32 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden WC2E 8NA;oystermen.co.uk

The Parrot is a new cocktail bar created in collaboration with Idris Elba (photo: Catch52)